Step Side Bed Wiring

Ken B · Oct 25, 2024

I am seeking advice .....I am trying to get a good ground on the back of my step side bed and I came up with this.... upside,downside, completely wrong????
The pic was taken from the ground looking up used a body bolt and connected ground strap to bed and the other end to the frame.
I have had grounding issues in the past just trying to be proactive.
KB

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Snoots · Oct 25, 2024

Good start. Now, take it off, clean the surface where it attaches, smear a dab of copper anti-lock on it and re-install. THEN you will have a reliable connection.

Keith Seymore · Oct 25, 2024

Akkshully - I went one step farther on my 80' stepper.

I had grounding issues which prevented the brake lights and turn signals from working properly. The original ground is via star washers which breaks the paint between the taillamp bracket and box, and again between the taillamp attaching studs and bracket.

I would take the brackets off every spring and repaint them, which is good for rust repair but directionally incorrect for grounding.

What I finally ended up doing was running a single wire from the lamp socket (inside the housing) directly to the frame, routed along with the taillamp wires. Both LH and RH side.

That took care of all my lamp grounding issues.

K

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Ken B · Oct 25, 2024

Keith I have grounded from the mounting bolts on the lights to the frame in the past. just trying to not have extra wires hanging out there.

Ken B · Oct 25, 2024

thanks guys. all good info and open to other ideas

Turbo4whl · Oct 25, 2024

Ken B said:
thanks guys. all good info and open to other ideas

Ideas.... you could get a roll pan and put the lights in it.

Remove the clunky side lights, add a set of sealed Trucklite tail and backup lights. Maybe like this, but without the side mounted backup lights.

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In my defense, you asked. :waytogo:

Ken B · Oct 25, 2024

It's an idea.

bucket · Oct 25, 2024

Some of us actually like the "clunky" factory side lights

Turbo4whl · Oct 25, 2024

bucket said:
Some of us actually like the "clunky" factory side lights

I never said I didn't like the lights. They are still clunky antiques. OP was hunting ideas.

bucket · Oct 25, 2024

Turbo4whl said:
I never said I didn't like the lights. They are still clunky antiques. OP was hunting ideas.

Lol, I had simply got a kick out of Ken's response and could tell he wasn't a fan of that particular idea, which is the biggest reason for my post.

However, I forgot to add that I also added a ground wire to my stepside. Simply grounding the bed to the frame took care of my issue though. I like how Ken used a braided strap though, I might have to do the same on mine. Iirc, I just used some eyelets and a 12ga wire.

Step Side Bed Wiring

Ken B

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Snoots

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Keith Seymore

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Ken B

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Ken B

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Turbo4whl

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Ken B

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bucket

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Turbo4whl

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bucket

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